We asked our readers on Facebook to tell us how they celebrated the Fourth of July. Shannon Maurer said they took the Post with them to celebrate the holiday! “We are enjoying our holiday on the Beartooth Highway and we brought the Post with us,” she wrote. “It is in Montana and Wyoming.”

According to Wikipedia, the Beartooth Highway is an All-American Road on a section of U.S. Route 212 in Montana and Wyoming between Red Lodge and the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, passing over the Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet above sea level.

Thanks so much, Shannon, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

The Post recently traveled to the Bahamas with the Mabie family. Shown here is June Mabie, with her great-granddaughters, Emerson and Failla, in the Bahamas during the first week of March.

Thanks so much for taking us with you to the warm, sunny Bahamas!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Pictured from left to right is Diane Pol, Cole Spicer, Dr. Jan Pol, and Charles Pol.

Cole Spicer, age 7, son of Randy and Lianna Spicer, of Spicer Ornamental Bird Farm, in Solon Township, traveled with his copy of the Post to see his friends the Pols on January 21. The Pols are a famous veterinarian family in Weidman, Mich. Dr Jan Pol and his family own a clinic that is recorded by National Geographic Wild as the “Incredible Dr Pol show.” Spicer Ornamental Bird Farm was featured nationally on National Geographic Wild in season nine, episode 1.

“Dr Pol and his family traveled to our hometown of Cedar Springs to purchase peacocks,” explained Lianna. “Our farm raises various colors of peacocks and exotic pheasants from all over the world right here in the rural countryside of Cedar Springs. We are also on Facebook. We have shared a common interest with the Pols in peacocks and farming. We always receive a warm welcome and have a great visit every time we see the Pols.”

She said Cole is a big helper on their bird farm. His duties include gathering eggs, and helping feed and water. He also helps move the peachicks when they hatch from the incubator to their brooder. “Cole loves his animals and is on his way to becoming quite the hobby farmer,” she said.

Would you like to do something special for families in need this Christmas? You can partner with us to provide toys for needy children in Kent County. The Post is participating in the Toys for Tots program again this holiday season, as a drop off site for toys.

Toys for Tots is a volunteer organization whose goal is to collect new, unwrapped toys for kids 0-16, and distribute them to children who would not otherwise receive a gift during the holiday season. Toys for teens are always especially needed.

The program runs now through December 14. Just bring a new, unwrapped toy to our office at 36 E. Maple Street in Cedar Springs, Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you can’t make that time, call us to make other arrangements.

Almost 70 Chinese high school students visited Cedar Springs last summer and took a little bit of Red Flannel Town home with them.

Tim and Shelley Bauer, directors of Network 153, a local nonprofit organization, teamed up with Pine Ridge Bible Camp for the third summer in a row, worked with Lu He Cultural Training Center in Beijing to bring the students here for a three-week English immersion program. They spent two weeks with host families and one week having fun at camp.

When the students left, they each took a copy of the Post back to Beijing, and took a group photo.

Thanks so much to the Chinese students for visiting, and then taking us home with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

The Post traveled to Scotland and England with Jim and Mary Myers of Rockford. Mary sings with the Grand Rapids Sweet Adeline’s and she was a guest singer with a chorus from Pennsylvania called Red Rose City Chorus. The Chorus also had singers from California, North Carolina and another chorus from Pennsylvania. Performances were in Edinburgh Castle, Tutbury Castle and several locations outside in both Scotland and England. They also performed in The Cavern, where the Beatles started their singing careers.

“The weather was unseasonably warm and it stayed dry for the trip. A good time was had by all,” said Mary.

Thanks so much to Mary and Jim for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

The Post recently traveled to Dresden, Germany, with Kim Gillow and Mary Balon, of Solon Township, and their friend Harry Eastwood, of Australia. They spent two weeks travelling through Poland, Germany, and Austria visiting important WWII sites, including concentration camps, the Nuremburg courthouse and Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. This picture was taken half way through the trip in the town square in Dresden.

“Every day was interesting and informative,” said Kim, “and the local guides were wonderful.”

Thanks for taking us to Germany with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

Pokemon Go!—the new game for Android and iPhone users—has taken off like a wildfire across the nation since its release last week, even here in Cedar Springs. Kids and adults of all ages can be seen on streets and sidewalks in Cedar Springs looking for Pokemon. The Post has been a popular stopping site for those wandering the neighborhood, and we were told that we are one of several Poke Stops in the augmented reality game, which layers a digital word over the real one. Poke Stops are historical landmarks or other interesting local sites where you find free items—poke balls, potions, Pokemon eggs, and other items you need.

If you haven’t played Pokemon Go! yet, it will give you a good reason to get out and walk around and see what’s happening in your neighborhood.

The Post went on a girls’ trip to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, with Jennifer Tompkins and Emily Martens. “Emily and I have been friends since we first met in Miss Welch’s kindergarten class at Beach Elementary,” explained Jennifer. “Although we no longer live in Cedar we love reading about our hometown on your Facebook page! My mom gave me her copy of the post to take on our Florida adventure!”

Thank you, Jennifer and Emily, for taking us with you to Florida! I bet it was much warmer than here!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!

The Post traveled to Las Vegas, with Dave and Debbie Kane, of Ensley Center, for the graduation of their youngest son from college. The photo here was taken on Sunday, September 27, and it was 97 degrees.

The Post then traveled with them to Casper, Wyoming, where they celebrated their granddaughter’s third birthday a few days later. It was a big change in temperature, at only 60 degrees!

Thank you Dave and Debbie, for taking us with you!

Are you going on vacation? Take the Post with you and snap some photos. Then send them to us with some info to news@cedarspringspost.com or mail them to Post travels, PO Box 370, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. We will be looking for yours!